Straight-talking Petrino gets gumbo on visit

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• By Richard Davenport
• 6:00AM on January 30th, 2009

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino and defensive coordinator Willy Robinson did an in-home visit with safety Jerry Mitchell Sunday night.
Mitchell, 6-1, 198, 4.5 of Mandeville, La., orally committed to the Hogs in September.

Petrino told Mitchell that he wanted him report to Arkansas on May 18 so he could start the first session of summer school and begin working out.

“My dad asked him about his plans for me he said he wants to try me at cornerback first but I would probably move over to the safety position,” Mitchell said. “He said there’s going to be competition and the best man is going to win. He said if I can prove myself, I could end up on the field but he also stressed that there’s nothing wrong redshirting.”

Mitchell said his mother prepared gumbo for Petrino’s visit.

“It wasn’t that spicy but it wasn’t tame either,” he said. “I think it was just right.”

In order to get ready for next season, Mitchell said he works out with the football team and on his own.

“A couple of times a week I go to a personal trainer and work on explosion and speed work outs,” Mitchell said. “It’s progressing real well. I’ve been doing this for about four weeks. I’ve been working hard so it won’t be a shock for me whenever I get up there.”

Mitchell said his vertical jump before the football season was 30 inches but the workouts has increased his vertical to 31½ inches in short span of the workouts.

Mitchell said his parents were impressed with Petrino’s demeanor.

“He conducted himself in a very professional way,” he said. “He was very straightforward with what was expected of me. He didn’t try and beat around the bush. Some coaches try to sugarcoat things and tell you what you want to hear so you’ll be interested in their school but he was flat out and that’s what we wanted and expected out of him.”